t-scores

[Osteointx]

What are some of your worst t-scores? L4 -4.5

[noRx4me]

My L3 is -4.2, total is -3.9. Hips fare slightly better at -3.2. I'm 66 and went through menopause at 42.

[DeeK1]

-4.5 spine and -2.6 in hip. This was three years ago - and I continued to run up to 13 miles - and lift weights. Petrified when I first received these numbers - and lots of research. Found out I won’t break - I have small bones - and I was 61 when I found out. I take k2 , d, b complex, and multi vitamins every day. I make sure I get enough daily protein to keep my muscles around my bones strong - and keep the bones strong. I have no fragility fractures. That’s my story. 😁

[5746 in reply to DeeK1]

How did you find out your small bones wont break despite your T scores,? I am interested because I have a small frame and -2.5 hip and -2.8 spine T scores. ( I'm very hesitant to try Evista which doc recommended.) I recently read that a Dexa scan on smaller bones may not give accurate readings.

[DeeK1 in reply to 5746]

I have no guarantee my bones won’t break - but after lots of research I think bone density is just one part of the equation. Bone strength is the other part. This is why people with just osteopenia may break bones while those with osteoporosis do not. About four years ago I was running - tripped on a broken sidewalk - went tumbling full force onto the ground. Used both my hands as I crashed down - did not break my wrists or any bones in my legs even though I was bleeding from my hands and knees. I did break a small bone in one hand - they call that break a boxer break - I healed without any issues. To me - that’s bone strength v bone density. I could be wrong, but until I have a fragility break - I will continue on the same path I have been on. Fingers and toes crossed!! 😁

[Mark_ABH in reply to DeeK1]

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) takes a 2-dimensional scan of a 3-dimensional object (your bones), so it does tend to give lower volumetric scores for smaller-volume bones. This is why it is important to take into account other factors besides bone density. The American Bone Health Fracture Risk Calculator is a good place to start: americanbonehealth.org/calc...

[HappyGranny55 in reply to DeeK1]

I would be interested in knowing which multivitamin you take. I would like to add a basic multi to the D, K2 and Mg that I already take, but I am leery of the very potent formulas out there. Would just like a gap filler for an already healthy diet.

[DeeK1 in reply to HappyGranny55]

I take Centrum Silver for the multivitamin.

[josephinius1]

I'm 62, white, female, not particularly small-boned, muscular, always lifted weights (at least intermittently,) distance runner, hairdresser (part-time). My back started becoming an issue I couldn't ignore about two years ago. Husband had DEXA after discovering he'd fractured two vertebrae, so he was sure my back pain was osteoporosis. I was like, "nah," but he insisted, even set it up for me. So in January, I found out my spine is at -4.6, and my hips/femoral neck at -3.3, -3.5 respectively.

Six months later, I now know I've fractured at least 3 vertebrae, and I've lost 3 inches in height, in all, one inch just since January. But I cannot get a doctor, so far, to even take my pain or my scores seriously. Saw a new PCP last week hoping for referrals (yes, I got a little thrown off, long story,) who literally said he could not understand why I'm making such a big deal of this, and he assured me he used to be in a practice with lots of older people, saw a ton of osteoporosis, it's just not a big deal. First, what evidence does he even have that I AM making a big deal of it? But, he is actually correct, now. I tried not to, at first; I thought just get stronger, start to be consistent with that weight training, don't let pain stop you. But I keep injuring myself such that: a) I have to rest at least to some extent (I've never stopped walking, no matter how bad it hurts, maybe that's why people think I'm fine? But sometimes I walk like a 90 year old.) b) The injuries are occurring closer together and are instigated by the tiniest of moves.

That's why I finally took myself to urgent care and asked for an x-ray.

And that's how I discovered at least three fractures, but they didn't know how new. (Pretty sure they were new, because I had pain in a new place.)

It's possible these are my first fractures, because this has behaved differently, maybe my shrinkage is compression without fractures?

Just, I thought if I could go with evidence in hand of "the fracture ship" having already sailed, maybe I could get a more fullsome response? When I told this PCP that ship had sailed, he said, paraphrased, "Those aren't the fractures we're concerned about, it's the bigger bones."

I had the naturopath's nurse (I decided to go the natural route, too/first,) ask me, when I asked if they could refer me to someone who could help me with my pain issues, someone who'd work synergistically with them, whether I "got special attention when I was a kid if I was sick/hurt?" Implying, I think, that I'm making myself sick in hopes of getting attention? I wish that were true. My husband is very reactive but I wouldn't say he gives me special care: his attitude for all of our marriage has been "You're too sensitive, God gave me to you to toughen you up." My family's attitude growing up was similar. The model in my family is deny, deny, deny. If I'm making a big deal of this now, I think it's because I denied, denied, denied for a long time. But it feels like life is conspiring to get me to continue to do that even though I would say my options for functioning have been reduced by...50% at least, so far.

So yeah, I'm taking these scores seriously, but God bless you if you can do everything you've always done despite them. Seriously. I guess my scores were probably pretty bad while I was still running, too. It just got to a point where even the slowest, easiest jog would "do something" (that I didn't even know about until the next time I tried to run,) and I decided I couldn't risk it any more. I can feel my bones "rattling" even with a fast walk, just keeping fingers crossed that that's not a problem.